Walnut Creek, CA Fire Regulations: Brush Clearance (2026)

California PRC 4291 requires owners of property in or adjacent to State Responsibility Area land and in Local Responsibility Area Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones to maintain 100 feet of defensible space around structures. The space is divided into Zone 1 (0–30 feet), requiring lean, clean, and green conditions — no dead vegetation, trimmed trees 10 feet apart, no flammable ground cover adjacent to the home — and Zone 2 (30–100 feet), reduced-fuel zone where grass is cut to 4 inches and brush is spaced per CAL FIRE guidelines. Under Assembly Bill 3074 (2020), an additional Zone 0 (0–5 feet from structures) must be ember-resistant: no combustible mulch, firewood stacks, or wooden fencing attached to the home; regulations became fully effective in 2025 for new construction and are phasing in for existing homes. ConFire performs annual inspections in high-risk neighborhoods and issues Notice of Violation orders; non-compliance can result in the city/district performing abatement at the owner's expense plus fines starting at $500. Cal Fire and ConFire maps identify qualifying parcels — owners should check the CAL FIRE FHSZ viewer.